CORRUPTION NEWSPoor policies, complicit police deepen SA’s drug problem 10 Aug 2020, 8:30By Thato Mahlangu Part one of our mini-series on the UN’s World Drug Report 2020 looked at some of the report’s key findings. In the second and final part, we cover the situation in South Africa at the moment. The situation is serious, and it’s not getting better. According to anti-crime organisation Enact, the local Read more >
CORRUPTION NEWS Inaction and weak policies boost the illicit drug market 07 Aug 2020, 13:00By Thato Mahlangu Drug markets have been reported to be increasing, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. This grim but unsurprising information is one of the findings of the UN’s World Drug Report which was released on 25 June 2020. The report reveals how some governments are failing to clamp down on the illicit trade of Read more >
PRESS RELEASES SAACoN condemns Zim authorities’ action against peaceful protests 06 Aug 2020, 12:17The Southern African Anti-corruption Network (SAACoN) has been monitoring events in Zimbabwe with increasing concern for the safety of civil society activists, journalists and opposition politicians since 20 July 2020. On 20 July 2020 investigative journalist Hopewell Chi’nono and opposition politician Jacob Ngarivhume were arrested in the wake of the exposure of high level corruption Read more >
LEGISLATION AND SUBMISSIONS Ipid amendment bill will address gaps, clip minister’s wings 05 Aug 2020, 11:14An amendment to the Ipid Act is on the cards, finally. The legislation governing the Independent Police Investigative Directorate is as flawed as the process to appoint the head of Ipid, because ultimately it comes down to the discretion of one person – the minister of police. In July Minister Bheki Cele announced his selection Read more >
OPINIONS Transparent tenders will cut Covid-related corruption 04 Aug 2020, 8:30By Caroline James and Karam Jeet SinghFirst published on Maverick Citizen President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on 23 July 2020 a variety of measures to deal with Covid-related corruption. Mere days later the media exposed that Madzikane II Thandisizwe Diko – the husband of presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko – had received contracts worth R125-million for Covid-19 Read more >
PUBLICATIONS SIU investigations into water dept are progressing 03 Aug 2020, 10:19Towards the end of June the parliamentary standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) received an update from the Special Investigating Unit on its investigations into the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). Cases discussed included Mhlathuze Water Board, Vuwani Steel Pipeline, Lepelle Northern Water, Gauteng Department of Human Settlements, the DWS SAP licence contract, Umgeni Read more >
LEGISLATION AND SUBMISSIONS CW’s auditor-general submission discussed in Parly 31 Jul 2020, 10:12Earlier in July Corruption Watch (CW) wrote to the parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee on the Appointment of the Auditor-General (AG) with a detailed submission containing our views, plans and recommendations. The term of the incumbent AG Kimi Makwetu, who has served with distinction, comes to an end on 30 November 2020. Our submission to the Read more >
PRESS RELEASES Civil society demands accountability for Covid-19 corruption 31 Jul 2020, 9:30We, the undersigned organisations, express our disappointment and anger over reports of widespread corruption involving funds meant to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. It is troubling that in Gauteng alone, some 91 companies who received purchase orders from the Department of Health, are under investigation. We commend the Gauteng provincial government’s decision to give priority Read more >
OPINIONS Learn from civil society rather than belittling or ignoring it 30 Jul 2020, 12:02By Wayne DuvenageFirst published on News24 The message that civil society hears when it points out problems or issues is: how dare it be so bold as to question the rights and decisions of those in authority when spending public funds in the way they do. The people should shut up, sit down and stop complaining. Read more >
